If Labor Is Wealth

If labor is the basis of all wealth, the country surely ought to be very rich during a business depression. Then there is much surplus labor available. Millions of persons are then idle because they are determined to start the automobile of prosperity on high speed without first going into low and second. It never could be done and it never can be done. We only waste time arguing about it and trying it out. Labor is not the basis •of wealth nor are our natural resources the basis of wealth. There are more available labor and more of natural resources in China than in the United States. But why then is China way behind the United States? The reason is that China lacks those intangible qualities of faith, courage, initiative, and inspiration which have built up American business.

The truth is that we are now trying to have legislation, banking, labor unions and other material forces take the place of the spiritual forces which have really developed America. This is why new railroads are not built; this is why there is a shortage in houses; and this is why there is unemployment. Enduring prosperity and enduring investments come from three factors: (1) natural resources, (2) labor, and (3) that intangible spiritual quality which led the Pilgrims to these shores three hundred years ago, which stretched the railroads across the prairies a hundred years ago, and which built factories, steamships and other things during the past decade. Moreover, these spiritual qualities can be developed only through the natural means which God devised.

America should not return to the policy which rules the jungle, but it should most seriously consider the policies which have developed successful breeding of men and women up to the present time. Aristocracy was overdone a century or more ago, but it still has its uses. We can breed a more enduring prosperity, but we can't do it by attempting to suspend the law of supply and demand, the law of reward and punishment, the law of action and reaction, and other natural laws. At the present time we are developing a race of ineffi-cients and almost industrial imbeciles. Unless a halt is called and we get back to the old-fashioned principle of selecting the fittest, using it in its broadest, most spiritual sense, we are headed for disaster.

Prosperity The Result Of Effort

I have a friend in one of the eastern colleges who actually hungers for hard problems. He cannot be tempted by money and he is never interested in anything which is easy. When, however, I have a truly difficult task he is delighted to work it out for me. He has the spirit which discovered America, developed America, and has brought about the prosperity which our country has heretofore enjoyed. He has that creative impulse or that desire for service which is at the basis of prosperity. When 51 per cent. of the people are imbued with this spirit of service, we have good business; but when 51 per cent. of the people are trying to do as little as they can and "get away with it," then high prices, inefficiency, and bad business are inevitable.

Prosperity is simply a combination of natural resources, hard work, and those intangible spiritual qualities of faith, courage, and a desire to be of service. These qualities, however, have been developed in the past only through struggle and competition. Moreover, prosperity endures in proportion to the spirituality in its fiber and composition. These spiritual qualities are not being developed to-day with legislation, trade associations, labor unions, and other forces attempting to eliminate struggle, industry, thrift, and the workings of natural law.

A Dollar For A Dollar

One reason for unemployment and general bad business is the fact that - during periods of prosperity - so few people give a dollar's value for the dollar which they receive. Unconsciously we then all become dishonest. The grocer no longer adulterates the sugar; but he and we adulterate our work. The farmer no longer puts good apples only at the top of the barrel; but the same principle of deception then permeates other lines of labor, industry, and commerce. We then try to get along by our wits and by bluffing rather than by hard work. The congressmen jolly their constituents; the department heads in Washington jolly the congressmen; the government employees jolly the department heads; the business men jolly the government employees, and the constituents in turn jolly the business man. Thus the vicious circle goes around, each trying to live by his wits and fool the other, all forgetting that the prosperity of the country is determined by industry, thrift and integrity. When we all, whether wage workers or employers, manufacturers or merchants, senators or mere human beings, are again imbued with the spirit of service, then we have prosperity. Moreover, to the extent that our lives are so imbued, this prosperity endures.

There often is much talk about foreign trade.

The figures, however, show how the foreign trade of the United States is a very varying quantity. Numerous reasons are given for these violent fluctuations, but the most potent reason is that our foreign customers get disgusted with us about once in so often. During the war they were forced to pay any price in order to keep the Germans from annihilating them; but as soon as this fear was over they decided to get on without the goods until they could get them at a fair price. When we give a dollar's worth of goods and labor for a dollar, we again begin to get back our foreign trade. If we would always give a dollar's worth of goods for a dollar, we could permanently have a good and ever increasing foreign trade. Enduring prosperity requires such a constant outlet for our surplus goods.